How access to water promotes construction of modern buildings in Dodoma villages

Aug 25, 2017

Kurio youth unloading mortar bricks for construction

Members of the Kurio community in Dodoma region were living in poor houses and had limited access to healthcare facilities and services. The nearest healthcare center was a ward dispensary located 3km from the village center.

To address this challenge, the UNDP Tanzania in collaboration with Dodoma regional administration and Tanzania Development Light Organization-TADELO financed a multipurpose solar pump, which has been used to pump water for various uses by community members.

One of such uses has been production of bricks, which in turn has been used for construction of various buildings including village dispensary, offices and individual houses.

Construction of dispensary and village office

Commenting on the project, Ms. Aurelia Peter Mkina the Village Executive Officer (VEO) applauded the UNDP for the support, noting,

The intervention will serve both the present and future generations. She further noted that construction of the dispensary has brought health services closer to the community thereby reducing long walking distances they had to endure previously. Many community members are excited about the dispensary as one of the members noted. Having our own village dispensary will bring health services closer to us and, therefore, improving our well-being.

Commenting on the village office building the village Chairman Mr. Michael Sixmund revealed that they intended to erect an office using the money accrued from selling bricks, among other sources.

Better housing

As in the case of village office and dispensary, availability of water has also enabled community members to produce bricks for the construction of their own houses.

Ms. Rozy Michael Beda, a villager who has benefitted from the project, explains how access to water has facilitated the construction of her house.

I used to hire a car for TZS 10,000 (equivalent to 5 USD) per day to fetch water from five kilometers away for brick-making. However, the situation has now changed. I use water from the project to make more bricks for construction of my house. Even our son has started making some bricks for his own house, she said. Water from the project is provided at an affordable cost of TZS 50 (equivalent to 0.03USD) per bucket compared to the before-the-project price of TZS 500 (Equivalent to 0.3 USD).

Youth employment and project sustainability

In addition to construction of modern building as noted above, the project has created employment opportunities for youths through production of bricks, which are sold to community members for construction of houses.

The Village Executive Officer explained that the process of brick making was done with great care and consideration to environmental conservation and management requirements set by National Management Act (EMA 2004) and other laws and regulations. Given its focus and impacts, this project has helped to promote progress towards the achievement of SGD 3, which seeks to ensure a higher level of health and well-being.